All Saints’ Day (Observed)

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

All Saints Day is traditionally observed every year on the first Sunday in November. One of the traditions of many congregations is to read the names of congregational members who died since the previous All Saints Day during the Prayer of the Church and ring the bell.

The ringing or tolling of the bell began in European villages and cities. The word “tolling” means “tell,” which was used to alert and tell the townspeople about a neighbor’s death. Sometimes, the number of times the bell tolled also indicated the age of the deceased. In some cases, it was probably easy for people to identify who had died, as many of these villages were small.

But in a way, the tolling of the bell brought a community together in times of sadness to mourn and grieve the loss of a brother and sister in Christ, and this is a beautiful thing.

This remains true for us today, as we toll the bell this Sunday, we remember our brothers and sisters in Christ who have passed from this veil of tears to the eternal glory of Christ Jesus, we ring the bell to remember the faithful example our loved ones provided, how Christ lived and extended His grace to us through them, and how we, too, should imitate their faith in our various callings today.

So let the bell toll and remember.

In the peace of Jesus Christ,
Pastor Rogness